ては is a conditional. It’s the same condition that’s used in things like てはいけない.
6 Likes
Oh nice, I even got the conditional in my new translation above 
1 is how ~しては悪い literally translates, but it’s not what the sentence actually means/feels like. For the latter, the “Nakai-kun, we shouldn’t get in their way” subs are better. Compare the other side of this, ~してもいい, which literally is “even if ~ it’s good” but in meaning is generally a permission thing “it’s OK to do ~”.
3 Likes
Question,
I noticed when consulting definitions on google that some words have something like 《副・ス自》or similar right before the definition.
I know that 副 stands for 副詞, but I didn’t know what ス was so I checked it and found the following infos
My doubt is that I thought that every single する verb was transitive, isn’t it like that? How can it not be, being する the transitive verb itself (as her highness Cure Dolly taught me). So I’m perplexed by the native calling it a 自動詞, unless I’m missing something
There is a ton of する compounds which are not transitive. For instance, 変化する is intransitive - the subject which does the 変化 would 変化する, but if you trigger it as a third-party, you 変化させる (you “let” / “make” something change).
6 Likes
Interesting, I totally ignored this
1 Like
There are also verbs and suru-verbs who can be both. They’re called 自他両用動詞. For example, 解決する or 実現する, 剥離する, 更新する. You can find more examples by googling.
In 明鏡国語辞典, they’re denoted by ［名・自他サ変］
5 Likes
I think these 2 are particularly interesting (the 2nd appears in games when you have to update them 
).
Please correct me if I’m wrong, but I think for instance the meaning of 実現する changes a little bit depending whether it’s used as a transitive or an intransitive verb:
intransitive 実現する - coming true, happening
transitive 実現する - implementing something (a feature, regulation, etc.)
1 Like
Anyone know if this 樂 kanji is used at all in modern Japanese? I’m guessing it’s pretty much replaced by 楽 but I saw it in Demon Slayer and I was wondering.
Context:
4 Likes
I would probably see it in a fancy (or way older) spelling of 楽園, but otherwise not really.
Actually, after some searching I see it’s used often in Chinese. @Jonapedia any chance you could help? 
EDIT: Apparently 樂園 means “amused”? 
It sounds like a mix-up with 遊園地 (amusement park). I am confused.
EDIT2: Hot take - 人名用漢字?
3 Likes
I think it’s like all the historical-kanji-forms – it’s generally not used, but it might occasionally appear for effect, e.g. if trying for a “historical/old text” feel or in situations like your anime, or in business names like the raku-ware museum 樂美術館 that either pre-date the post-WW2 simplification or want to project a traditional air. (Raku-ware is I think more normally written 楽焼, but the museum seems to prefer 樂焼 even in running text.) Might well turn up in a restaurant name too.
5 Likes
Know nothing about the kanji but I watched the episode as well 
also curious about that too
2 Likes
Anyone knows what 太 means after a number? I can’t find anything…
Like in “六太 (ろくた) を寝かしつけてたんだ”
I’m about to sleep, but since I can’t seem to drift off – I’ve got a sore throat right now -.- – I might as well answer.
Hm… I mean, it’s about as common in Chinese as in Japanese, or maybe more so since 快楽 in Chinese is simply ‘joy’ rather than ‘pleasure’ (with all its implications) like in Japanese. 樂 is the traditional form of the character, and 乐 is what you’d see in Simplified Chinese.
Nah, no way. It’s still ‘paradise’ for sure, at least in Japanese. In Chinese it can translate as ‘playground’ as well, but I rarely see it used alone (it’s usually part of a longer compound). The usual standalone words for ‘playground’ are 遊樂園/場 if I use Traditional Chinese (assuming memory serves).
Well, you find it in bigger, more complex kanji like 轢 and 爍, but even those are fairly rare (轢 is the kanji for ひ in ひかれる when you’re talking about vehicle-pedestrian accidents though). My guess would be that in Demon Slayer, it’s just being used to evoke some sort of ancient concept/the idea of age, or it’s being used for its beauty/grandeur relative to the current kanji. For example, since 快楽 in Japanese is more ‘pleasure’ than simple ‘joy’, it could take a dark undertone of being consumed by a desire for pleasure. That or we’re seeing a sort of twisted form of enjoyment that corrupts the original concept. That’s how I’d see it. (Disclaimer: I know nothing about the story of Demon Slayer beyond the Crunchyroll synopsis in English.)
Not 100% sure, but probably just a name. Think about all the [number]+太郎 names out there.
6 Likes
I found this department store’s bit of marketing blurb about why they used the old form 樂園百貨店. It’s PR verbiage, of course, but it gives a sense of what they think the character choice conveys:
見慣れた新漢字の「楽」と比べると、読みにくく、書きにくいかもしれません。[…]
だけど、わたしたちは、古くから使われている、旧漢字の「樂」にこだわりました。[…]
『樂園百貨店』とは、リウボウの”新たなチャレンジ”の象徴であり、”受け継がれてきた想い”と、”老舗のプライド”の象徴でもあるのです。
3 Likes
Makes sense since who says it is carrying a child on her back 
4 Likes
I mean, a quick check also shows that 寝かしつける means ‘to put to bed/sleep’ (especially when talking about a child), so it seems likely, yes.
3 Likes
Good job me for trusting a random online comment from an English speaking restaurant reviewer 
. Yes, 遊樂園 makes more sense in Japanese as well.
For instance, this guy: 下野六太 - Wikipedia
ろくた definitely sounds like a name.
4 Likes
Question,
今日は荷車を引いて行かないから
(More context here[1] if needed)
This sentence sounds a bit weird to me and was difficult to parse at first, for reasons I’m not sure of. What about 引かないで行く? What is the difference?
They sound the same to me more or less.
I suppose in English we have a couple ways to say it as well that don’t really change meaning.
He’ll be going without the cart today
He won’t be going with the cart today
I guess 引いていかない is technically ambiguous as to if the person will go or not, but context makes it clear anyways.
5 Likes